More than a year and a half since the nuclear crisis, much of Japan’s post-Fukushima cleanup remains primitive, slapdash and bereft of the cleanup methods lauded by government scientists as effective in removing harmful radioactive cesium from the environment.

Local businesses that responded to a government call to research and develop decontamination methods have found themselves largely left out. American and other foreign companies with proven expertise in environmental remediation, invited to Japan in June to show off their technologies, have similarly found little scope to participate.

Recent reports in the local media of cleanup crews dumping contaminated soil and leaves into rivers have focused attention on the sloppiness of the cleanup.

“What’s happening on the ground is a disgrace,” said Masafumi Shiga, president of Shiga Toso, a refurbishing company based in Iwaki, Fukushima. The company developed a more effective and safer way to remove cesium from concrete without using water, which could repollute the environment. “We’ve been ready to help for ages, but they say they’ve got their own way of cleaning up,” he said.

Shiga Toso’s technology was tested and identified by government scientists as “fit to deploy immediately,” but it has been used only at two small locations, including a concrete drain at the Naraha-Minami school.Instead, both the central and local governments have handed over much of the 1 trillion yen decontamination effort to Japan’s largest construction companies. The politically connected companies have little radiological cleanup expertise and critics say they have cut corners to employ primitive — even potentially hazardous — techniques.

“In such a big undertaking, cost-effectiveness becomes very important,” said Takeshi Nishikawa, an executive based in Fukushima for the Kajima Corporation, Japan’s largest construction company. The company is in charge of the cleanup in the city of Tamura, a part of which lies within the 12-mile exclusion zone. “We bring skills and expertise to the project,” Mr. Nishikawa said.

Kajima also built the reactor buildings for all six reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, leading some critics to question why control of the cleanup effort has been left to companies with deep ties to the nuclear industry.

Also worrying, industry experts say, are cleanup methods used by the construction companies that create loose contamination that can become airborne or enter the water.

Some workers said they dumped potentially contaminated soil, leaves and water into rivers and secluded forest areas to feel they were making progress in this huge and unprecedented project in Japan.

“If we follow the rules, we can never go home,” said a decontamination worker in his 50s.

The government is not expected to review the framework of the program, which relies heavily on general contractors. Instead, it will try to ensure the ministry’s rules are followed in the decontamination process, a crucial step in the plan to reduce radiation levels and allow evacuees to return home.

To determine if rules had been broken, an Environment Ministry office in Fukushima overseeing decontamination interviewed supervisors at four major construction companies that received lucrative government contracts.

@ Cploerb,i already know some Studies from France, Belgium andGermany about the high Concentration of Leukemia andother Cancer, you don't tell me something i didn't know!

Sadly this Studies do not work in a legal Sense,they work only for us but cant stand in a Courtotherwise we had switched of this Plants alreadyin the early Eighties!

But this have nothing to do with the "Technical Aspect"or are you that prematured and act like a wild Chickenon Speed?

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 31751989

what is a Cploerb?.... if you are directing childish non-scientific diatrib my way leave off... i do suggest you wait for mid february when several papers are being presented.... in particularly leacked documentation about infant mortality and the the rise in certain non-specific never before seen illness that are directly attributed to the crisis.... you will be astonished by our findings thus far....

GLP's best Fuku thread: Thread: *** Fukushima *** and other nuclear-----updates and linkstwitter: #citizenperth“If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on it, I would use the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I knew the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.”- Albert Einstein

and this bug, i translated a transcript on the day the franklin left....

"Tuesday, 8 January 2013Warning to the United States immediately after Fukushima radioactive contamination revealed in confidential official telegram 0 minutes delivered Tuesday, January 08, 11:00&#12288;When the Fukushima nuclear power plant emergency had fallen into the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred in March 2011, I found that the U.S. military had hit a "top secret official telegram" in Japan. We are official telegram warning, and it will fail if the appropriate action, then the whole of Japan is contaminated with radioactive material, but it had been projected strong support for the United States of Japan. Japanese version of the Chinese network (China net) reported. &#12288;People are seen as some may contain Naoto Kan was then prime minister, the official telegram touched with their own hands is hold one's peace for official telegram. &#12288;I reported the Asahi Shimbun, official telegram is something Chiefs of Staff Chairman General, Mr. Michael Mullen sent by the top U.S. military. The telegram was at midnight, March 14, at the time, Japan did not call out to the rescue of the Fukushima nuclear power plant discharge the SDF yet. &#12288;Wording of the United States is demanding considerable official telegram, what are you doing in Japan? Have to assume the worst already, Mullen, "The United States is also very concerned about the current president for nuclear accident I have inquired with severely. " &#12288;day official telegram was hit, explosion already, Unit 3 nuclear power plant unit had fallen into difficult emergency cooling Unit 2 as well. But in the official telegram has focused attention on Unit 4. Mr. Mullen has pointed out that "by using the Self-Defense Forces. Believes that the U.S. military Unit 4 is very dangerous, should be cooled by any means," the Japanese government relies all on TEPCO, voluntary effort frustration is felt very strong in the United States for that was not at all. &#12288;Did the U.S. military focus on Unit 4, I was also due to the fact that this 1534 nuclear fuel rods are stored in Unit 4. If the cooling water tank in the unit if not enough, will reach the critical primary. A large amount of radioactive material is released If that happens, would have spread contamination throughout Japan. &#12288;A few hours after the U.S. official telegram was delivered to the Japanese government, around 6:00 pm on March 15, I had explosion of Unit 4 in other words. radioactivity warning alert was issued at the U.S. naval base in Yokosuka in Japan was 300 kilometers away from the Fukushima nuclear power plant where the accident occurred. Evacuation order was issued as soon as the families of all military personnel in the base. &#12288;From the details, which are reflected in the official telegram, the United States and at the same time were regarded as "base important in East Asia" in Japan, the United States is deeply disappointed the negligence of the Government of Japan, Japanese and do not have the ability to resolve the nuclear accident alone I found that the determined. (Yuko Yonehara Editor)

GLP's best Fuku thread: Thread: *** Fukushima *** and other nuclear-----updates and linkstwitter: #citizenperth“If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on it, I would use the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I knew the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.”- Albert Einstein

TOKYO — The Environment Ministry has announced plans to ensure that Fukushima cleanup operations are henceforth carried out according to safety guidelines after local residents reported that radioactive material was being dumped into rivers. [link to www.japantoday.com] .

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 30558272

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAAHAHAHHAHAHAA.... sry...........

Quoting: Citizenperth

Might be the joke of the century... we'll just have to wait and see what happens....

TOKYO — The Environment Ministry has announced plans to ensure that Fukushima cleanup operations are henceforth carried out according to safety guidelines after local residents reported that radioactive material was being dumped into rivers. [link to www.japantoday.com] .

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 30558272

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAAHAHAHHAHAHAA.... sry...........

Quoting: Citizenperth

Might be the joke of the century... we'll just have to wait and see what happens....

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 30558272

oops... says the maid... i swept it under the rug... "how long"..... well.....

GLP's best Fuku thread: Thread: *** Fukushima *** and other nuclear-----updates and linkstwitter: #citizenperth“If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on it, I would use the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I knew the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.”- Albert Einstein

TOKYO — The Environment Ministry has announced plans to ensure that Fukushima cleanup operations are henceforth carried out according to safety guidelines after local residents reported that radioactive material was being dumped into rivers. [link to www.japantoday.com] .

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 30558272

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAAHAHAHHAHAHAA.... sry...........

Quoting: Citizenperth

Might be the joke of the century... we'll just have to wait and see what happens....

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 30558272

Taking these new reports, in addition to the trucking and dumping, the spreading of the burning of debris to all points of the compass, the disregard for the environment..it ain't looking good..

TOKYO — The Environment Ministry has announced plans to ensure that Fukushima cleanup operations are henceforth carried out according to safety guidelines after local residents reported that radioactive material was being dumped into rivers. [link to www.japantoday.com] .

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 30558272

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAAHAHAHHAHAHAA.... sry...........

Quoting: Citizenperth

Might be the joke of the century... we'll just have to wait and see what happens....

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 30558272

Taking these new reports, in addition to the trucking and dumping, the spreading of the burning of debris to all points of the compass, the disregard for the environment..it ain't looking good..

GLP's best Fuku thread: Thread: *** Fukushima *** and other nuclear-----updates and linkstwitter: #citizenperth“If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on it, I would use the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I knew the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.”- Albert Einstein

GLP's best Fuku thread: Thread: *** Fukushima *** and other nuclear-----updates and linkstwitter: #citizenperth“If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on it, I would use the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I knew the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.”- Albert Einstein

not sure... depends on when the data can be an accademic release.. a pre-paper can be the get go i suspect.. not much interest here tho... not that i know, i am an amature, i would 'suspect' someone maybe looking into the worthyness of an accademic paper methinks..... ;)

GLP's best Fuku thread: Thread: *** Fukushima *** and other nuclear-----updates and linkstwitter: #citizenperth“If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on it, I would use the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I knew the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.”- Albert Einstein

not sure... depends on when the data can be an accademic release.. a pre-paper can be the get go i suspect.. not much interest here tho... not that i know, i am an amature, i would 'suspect' someone maybe looking into the worthyness of an accademic paper methinks..... ;)

Quoting: Citizenperth

I suspect that many papers will be forthcoming...

We must remember, that in the case of radiation contamination, many years, generations even.. will pass, before the full effects can be known.

not sure... depends on when the data can be an accademic release.. a pre-paper can be the get go i suspect.. not much interest here tho... not that i know, i am an amature, i would 'suspect' someone maybe looking into the worthyness of an accademic paper methinks..... ;)

Quoting: Citizenperth

I suspect that many papers will be forthcoming...

We must remember, that in the case of radiation contamination, many years, generations even.. will pass, before the full effects can be known.

The nuclear industry uses this to their advantage very effectively.

Quoting: Waterbug

yeah, we'll be dead and worthless, and the world forgets like chernobyl, and there is another excuse why japan is barren......

GLP's best Fuku thread: Thread: *** Fukushima *** and other nuclear-----updates and linkstwitter: #citizenperth“If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on it, I would use the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I knew the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.”- Albert Einstein

GLP's best Fuku thread: Thread: *** Fukushima *** and other nuclear-----updates and linkstwitter: #citizenperth“If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on it, I would use the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I knew the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.”- Albert Einstein

Fourteen members of the public spoke during the 90-minute meeting and each were critical of either the power plant’s operation or oversight procedures.

The Oyster Creek Safety Advisory Panel was formed to review the safety performance of the nuclear power plant on May 6, 2011, and to assist the state Department of Environmental Protection with the evaluation of the safe operation, decommissioning planning and cessation of operations at the nuclear plant, which will close in 2019.

Several officials and experts both from Japan and abroad have warned that TEPCO has not been completely up front with the conditions at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and this footage may not help to quench those concerns.

On January 7th, around 10:15 in the morning, an enormous billowing cloud of black smoke erupted from the grounds of the nuclear power complex and headed south down the coastline.

if thats exhaust the engine has blown in style. its not come from the left crane as smoke stil there when it moves and it wouldnt be going anywhere with such a plum -the plum would have increased as it drove away -not present. -most likely it was moving from whatever potential danger, imo. (im a qualified mechanical and power plant engineer with experience)rp